Did you know that one out of 10 alcoholic beverages is consumed illegally by a minor? And the problems don’t stop there; a concerning number of minors as young as 11 report purchasing and using tobacco products.
As a convenience store owner, you have an important responsibility to prevent underage customers from purchasing age-restricted products from your business — which is why you need c-store age verification software.
In this blog, we’ll talk about the critical role c-store age verification software plays in your checkout process, plus four providers to check out.
Why You Need C-Store Age Verification Software
Selling tobacco or alcohol to customers under the age of 21 isn’t just irresponsible; it’s a crime.
If you don’t have a solid plan in place to verify customers’ ages before selling them age-restricted products, you’re leaving the door open to hefty fines, costly legal proceedings, reputational damage, and even the closure of your convenience store.
Fortunately, the right c-store age verification software can help you avoid these disasters by making compliance an unskippable step in your checkout process.
This tool prompts your cashiers to ask for customers’ IDs and confirm their age in one of two ways. They can either manually enter customers’ birthdates into the software, or to save time, they can use a handheld ID verification scanner.
Now that we’ve established how c-store age verification software can protect your business and community from the consequences of underage alcohol and tobacco sales, let’s explore your options.
1. POS Nation: A POS System With Built-In Age Verification
If you want the most bang for your buck, we recommend investing in an all-in-one point of sale (POS) system that includes a built-in age verification feature. POS Nation is a great option if you’re looking for software that can prevent underage sales, process sales transactions from start to finish, track your inventory levels, provide in-depth sales reports, and more.
When POS Nation’s software detects that your cashier has scanned an age-restricted item like tobacco or alcohol, it will prompt your cashier to check the customer’s ID to ensure they are of legal smoking or drinking age.
If you’re looking for a c-store age verification software solution that can do it all, POS Nation might be the right fit for you. Head to their website to get a custom quote for your c-store.
2. Minor Decliner: A Standalone Age Verification Scanner
If your POS needs are already met but you still need a solution for c-store age verification, you might want to look into standalone ID scanners. These scanners can read ID cards to ensure they are valid and that the customer is of legal drinking or smoking age. More advanced scanners are equipped to detect false IDs.
The only drawback to this c-store age verification option is that it’s up to you and your cashiers to remember to scan IDs, rather than receiving a prompt from your POS system before processing the transaction.
If a standalone ID scanner seems like a good addition to your c-store checkout counter, we recommend looking into Minor Decliner. This provider offers a variety of scanner types, including handheld scanners and contactless options to fit into your standard checkout process. Their most affordable option starts at $649 with optional upgrades.
3. TruAge: A Secure and Convenient Age Verification System
Struggling to find the balance between verifying customers’ ages while keeping checkout lines short? A c-store age verification software solution like TruAge might be able to help.
TruAge lets customers download an app, verify their ages and identities, and then confirm them at checkout using a QR code. This unique process is quick and easy — saving you and your customers time.
This solution is still in development, but you can get more information about becoming a TruAge partner on their website.
4. C-Store POS: A POS and Age Verification System Designed for C-Stores
The last c-store age verification software solution on our list is C-Store POS. This software is designed to meet the unique needs of convenience store owners, helping you with everything from verifying customers’ ages to keeping your coolers perfectly stocked with bestselling beverages.
When it’s time for a shopper to check out, C-Store POS will detect any age-restricted items in their purchase, then prompt you to ask for their ID. From there, you can manually check the ID card and enter the customer’s birthdate into the system, or use C-Store POS’ integrated ID scanner for quick, secure verification.
If you’re looking for software that can protect your business from underage tobacco and alcohol sales, streamline your operations, and boost your sales, you can’t go wrong with C-Store POS. Check out our custom pricing options to take the next step.
Keep Your Small Business Safe With C-Store POS
Preventing underage sales of tobacco and alcohol is one of your most important responsibilities as a convenience store owner — which is why you should only trust the best software when it comes to age verification.
C-Store POS is a powerful, reliable POS system that can handle all of your convenience store’s day-to-day operations, including age verification, inventory management, customer purchase tracking, and more.
See how C-Store POS can transform your small business by scheduling your live demo with one of our convenience store experts today.
